Cleaning apparatus



Jan. 23, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 o o o o o o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0 0 O 0 0 0 INVENTORS m4, PM

ATTORNEYS Jan. 23, 1940- J. w. CHAMBERLIN El AL 2,137,770

CLEANING APPARATUS Filed March 6. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTORS JOHN W C/rfl/VBERL/N REX 424 84 555 7'7, JR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 23, 1940 CLEANING APPARATUS John W. Chamberlin and Rex Earl Bassett, Jr., South Bend, Ind., assignors to Bendix Home Appliances, Inc., Detroit, Micli., a corporation of Delaware Application March 6, 1937, Serial No. 129,426

7 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning materials such as clothes, and is illustrated as embodied in an automatically-controlled cyclically-operated washing machine.

One object of the invention is to simplify the cycle of machines of this character, by providing the apparatus with means which can be actuated effectively at the proper point in the cycle to dry the clothes, without changing the speed with which the clothes-containing drum or its equivalent is driven, thereby doing away with the necessity for anexpensive multiple-speed transmission and its control mechanism. Preferably this is accomplished by squeezing the clothes dry by pressing them against the drum. I In one desirable arrangement, the drying pressure is applied by fluid pressure, preferably acting on the clothes through the medium of a flexible diaphragm which can adjust itself to the irregular contour of the clothes on which it acts.

Various important features of novelty relate to (l) arranging for the diaphragm or its equivalent toact after all sediment and the like has been drained from the machine, so that no dirt can possibly be squeezed into the clothes, (2) to the construction and arrangement which permits drying the clothes without changing the speed or direction in which the machine is driven, and (3) to arrange the diaphragm to act on the clothes in a driven perforated drum. or otherwise so that the control of the cleaning agent used is independent of the operation of the diaphragm.

Other features of novelty relate to the structure and mounting of the diaphragm and its relation to theother parts of the apparatus, and to the automatic control of its operation, and to various other novel combinations and desirable arrangements which will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram; and

Figure 3 is a diagram of the operating cycle.

The illustrated machine includes a suitable casing or frame l0, supporting a stationary fluidtight housing or tub i2 adapted to contain wash water and rinse water or other cleaning material, and within which is a rotatable drum or the "like perforated container l4 in which the clothes level for washing, in the tub formed with a large central opening closed during operation by a perforated disk i 8 rotatably mounted on a door 20 mounted on the casing ill by a hinge 22 and secured in closed position by a suitable lock 24. The door 2|] is made fluidtight by means such as a suitable gasket 26.

The drum is provided on its inner periphery with ribs 28 extending parallel to the axis of rotation, and which, as the drum rotates continuously at a uniform, speed in the same direction, keeps lifting the clothes until they approach the top of the drum, whereupon they fall back into the water in the lower part of the drum, thus giving the desired washing action.

The drum is mounted for rotation about a 15 horizontal axis, and to that end the head I6 is secured toa flange 30 extending radially from a sleeve 32 secured to a hollow horizontal shaft 34 journaled in bearings 36. The shaft 34 is driven continuously at a substantially constant and uniform speed, being shown provided with a large pulley 38 for a V-belt 40 driven by a small pulley 42 connected by suitable reduction gearing to the drive shaft of an electric motor 44.

When the clothes or other material to be cleaned have been placed in the drum i 4, an inlet valve 46 is opened by its solenoid 48 to supply water through a pipe 50 to an annular space or manifold 52 surrounding the door 20 and serving also as a door jamb, whence it is injected through an annular series of nozzles 54 into the drum. I4. When the water reaches the proper l2, water rises through a connection 56 in a float chamber 58 to raise a float 60 to operate a float switch 62 which breaks the circuit for the solenoid 48 and closes the valve 46. Thereafter sufficient soap preferably in the form of powder is supplied.

The valve 46 receives its water through a pipe 64 a mixing valve 66 which mixes hot water from a pipe 68 and cold water from a pipe 10 to give water of a temperature determined by a suitable thermostat 72 which operates a switch in the circuit of solenoid 14 which controls the mixing valve 66. Other means may be provided, if desired, for supplying water at the proper temperature.

At the conclusion of the washing operation, a solenoid is energized in the manner described below, to open a valve 82 in a drain pipe 84. After the dirty wash Water has run out, valve 46 is again opened, to inject clean rinse water with the drain valve open, to flush out as much as possible of the wash water remaining in the clothes. The drain valve 82 is then closed, the

inlet valve 40 remaining open, to fill the machine with clean rinse water; after operating the machine for a suitable period this rinse water is then drained 01f by opening the drain valve. The inlet valve having previously been closed by the float switch, it now is opened by the draining action, and a short flushing action takes place before the main control switch closes it again shortly after the initiation of the squeezing action described below, thereby obviating the possibility of squeezing any sediment into the clothes.

Following this, a pressure fluid such as water under pressure from the cold water pipe I0 is admitted by a valve 88 controlled by a solenoid 90 through a pipe 92 to an end fitting 94 bolted to the bracket 96 carrying the end bearing 36, through a passage registering with a groove 98 in the shaft 34. The groove 98 communicates with the internal passage I00 of the hollow shaft 34.

It will be seen that opening the valve 88 admits fluid under pressure through the shaft 34 into the drum I4 into a space between the solid end I5 and a novel flexible imperforate diaphragm I02 of resilient rubber material. The diaphragm I02 is peripherally secured to the outer margin of the end l6 by means such as a clamp ring I04 bolted thereto, and is preferably molded to form a series of concentric corrugations I06 of considerable depth.

This construction enables the diaphragm to offer a yielding resistance to stretching under the fluid pressure introduced behind it as described, so that it serves as its own return spring.

The pressure of the water behind the diaphragm I02 expands the diaphragm to the right, squeezing the clothes against the perforated drum to dry them. By dry is not meant completely dry, but sufliciently dry for removal from the machine for ironing-4. e. at a water pressure of forty pounds, the clothes will be approximately as dry as if they had been run through an ordinary wr nger.

The next step in the cycle is the closing of the inlet pressure-flu d valve 88. and the opening of a drain valve I I0 having a control solenoid l I 2, and which connects the p pe 92 and the passage I00 with the main drain 84. After a sufllcient interval for the resilient diaphragm I02 to force out subs antially all of the water behind it, the valve I I0 closes again, and the motor 44 stops. the cycle completed ready for the removal of the clothes.

These steps of flushing, rinsing and squeezing drv, may be repeated as often as desired. the dia ram of Figure 3 showing one such repetition.

The controls for the motor 44. and the solenoids 48. 80. 90. and II2, are arranged in a control box II4 mounted at some accessible point on the casing I 0.

Fi ure 2 shows the wir ng. and Figure 3 is a diagram of the cycle described above. The various solenoids 48, 80, 90. and II2, as well as the motor 44. have connections I I8 arranged in parallel between line wires I and I22. Each connection includes a switch I24. illustrated as a pair of spring contacts opened and closed by a series of control cams I26, I28, I30, I32, and I34 all rigidly mounted on a shaft I36 connected by reduction gearing I38 with a driving motor I40, preferably a small self-starting synchronous motor of the type used in electric clocks or by a suitable reduction drive directly connected with the main drive motor 44.

The motor I40 is connected across from the connection II! of the main motor 44, at one side of its contacts I24, to the opposite line wire I22. The float switch 62 is in the connection I I8 of the solenoid 48, and the mixing valve solenoid I4 and its control thermostat switch I2 are connected in series in a connection I42 between the line wires I20 and I22.

Figure 3 gives a diagram outlining in a sequence reading clockwise the cycle in detail. It will be noted that the wash part of the cycle, when the contacts I24 of solenoid 48 are closed and the contacts I24 of solenoids 80, 90, and II2 are all open, is arranged for the maximum length of time desirable for washing.

The length of this part of the cycle can be shortened when desired, without changing the timing of the other steps in the cycle, by turning the shaft I36 part way around manually, for example by a control knob I50 on the end of the shaft and arranged on top of the control box I I4. A suitable scale, something like Figure 3, may be provided for a pointer on the knob I50.

The above-described control mechanism II4- I50 may if desired be of the construction more fully described, and claimed, in application No. 78,635, filed July 24, 1936, by Rex Earl Bassett.

' The general construction of the machine, except as our improved drying means is included, is claimed in application No. 6,425 filed February 14, 1935, by Rex Earl Bassett.

While one illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims. Where the term clothes is used herein, it is intended to cover any material adapted to be cleaned in a machine of this type.

We claim:

1. Cleaning apparatus comprising a drum having a horizontal axis and mounted on a horizontal driven hollow shaft and having a diaphragm mounted across one end over the outlet of said shaft, means for supplying and withdrawing cleaning agents to the part of the drum on the side of the diaphragm opposite the outlet of the shaft, and means for supplying and withdrawing fluid under pressure through said shaft to actuate said diaphragm to press the material in the drum against the opposite end of the drum.

2. A drum for use in cleaning apparatus having a rotatable mounting including a hollow shaft opening into one end of the drum, and having a diaphragm peripherally secured to said end symmetrically around the opening from said shaft, said diaphragm being formed in its face with a series of concentric deep corrugations permitting it to be extended under pressure of a fluid introduced through said shaft to press the contents of the drum against the drum.

3. A horizontal cylindrical drum for use in cleaning apparatus having secured centrally to one end a rotatable hollow horizontal shaft opening into one end of the drum, and having an imperforate flexible vertical diaphragm peripherally secured to said end symmetrically around and across the opening from said shaft and operated by fluid introduced through said shaft under pressure to press material in the drum against the end of the drum opposite said shaft.

4. Cleaning apparatus comprising a perforated cylindrical drum mounted at one end for rotation about a horizontal axis and having an opening in its other end and having a flexible diaphragm secured across said one end, a cover for said opening, a housing in which said drum is mounted and ale-7,170

which is formed and arranged to contain cleaning agents to act on the contents of the drum, said drum and housing being formed to permit the introduction of material into the drum through the end opposite the diaphragm, and means for introducing fluid under pressure between the diaphragm and said one end of the drum to press said material against said other end of the drum and against said cover to squeeze it dry.

5. Cleaning apparatus comprising a perforated cylindrical drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and having a flexible diaphragm secured across one end, a housing inwhich said drum is mounted and which is formed and arranged to contain cleaning agents to act on the contents of the drum, said drum and housing being formed to permit the introduction of mate-' ,rial to be cleaned into the drum throughthe end opposite the diaphragm, means for introducing fluid under pressure between the diaphragm and said one end of the drum to press the material in the drum to squeeze it dry, means for operating the apparatus in a cycle by introducing and withdrawing said cleaning agents and introducing and withdrawing said fluid under pressure, and means for driving said drum continuously at a uniformspeed throughout said cycle.

6. Cleaning apparatus comprising a container for material to be cleaned having a hollow shaft side of thecontainer to remove the cleaning agents therefrom.

7. An automatically-controlled cyclically-operated cleaning machine comprising means for containing cleaning agents, a perforated container therein for material to be cleaned, said container being rotatably mounted at one end and having in its other end an opening provided with a removable cover, means for supporting said cover withdraw cleaning agents, a flexible diaphragm positioned across said one end of the perforated container, and means for introducing fluid under pressure behind said diaphragm for pressing it against cleaned material in the container to squeeze it against said other end of the container and against said cover to dry it.

JOHN REX EARL BASSE'I'I. JR.

to rotate with the container, means to supply and go 

